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Living in Grace

Dear Friends,

This Sunday we will go back to the teachings of Christ on the mountain. Jesus is speaking to religious people and teaching what really following Him looks like. Even His closest disciples had wrong ideas and personal and political agendas.

So, Jesus repeatedly told them what a life of grace is supposed to be. It is my hope that in these days when many sincere Christians are deceived and distracted from Christ person and purpose you will stand strong. The best way to be able to spot a counterfeit is to know the real. This Sunday I pray you will come back to the mountain of Christ clear call to an extraordinary life of grace.

Blessings,
Joe

STEPS TO PREPARE

PRAY FOR THE SERVICES AND FOR YOURSELF
AND ME AND THE OTHER TEACHERS.

PRAYERFULLY READ THE SCRIPTURES
AND CONSIDER THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND A PREACHING SERVICE AND A SMALL GROUP.

INVITE SOMEONE TO COME WITH YOU.

PREPARING FOR SUNDAY: STUDENT GUIDE

Recognizing what living in God’s grace looks like
and what being in a state of blessing means.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING VERSES SLOWLY AND PRAYERFULLY:

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…
(Matthew 5:1-2)

The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5:3-12)

Salt and Light

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 5:13-16)

PREPARING FOR SUNDAY: SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Mat 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jas 4:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Why is being poor in spirit (humility) essential to become and stay blessed under His rule?

Mat 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
2 Co 7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
2 Co 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

How is morning and being comforted by God a part of salvation?

Mat 5:5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

Why do we think gentleness is weak?

Mat 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Rev 3:16-17 ‘So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

Why is hungering and thirsting for right-living a blessing?

How do you know when you are hungering and thirsting for right-living?

Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

What makes it so hard to keep an unmixed heart?

Heb 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

How does that keep us able to see God?

Mat 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Are you a peacemaker or peace breaker? You stir things up.

Why does peace making define us? For they shall be called sons of God.

Mat 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Why does living like Jesus bring rejection and persecution?

How do you handle this?

Joh 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.